Chapter 5

"What do you have there, boy?" Brian asked the next day, seeing Heath flip through what looked like a scrapbook.

"Some stuff Mom kept about you," Heath answered. "There's some cool things in here."

"Trying to get ideas from your old man now that you won your first big match, huh?"

"And find something entertaining while I'm grounded," the boy grinned, spotting a couple of pictures that fascinated him. "Wow, you looked like a little kid!" he exclaimed, holding up a photo of interest to show Brian.

"How many times have I heard that over the years?" Brian nodded. "I still get carded when I buy cigarettes. Me, father of two teenagers. Imagine that."

"Yeah, Coach wondered why I held out that I had an older brother. I told him that you were my dad. I guess he doesn't watch wrestling on TV, not to mention you and Audi do look more alike than I thought."

"While on the subject of your sister, where is she?" Brian asked.

"Upstairs doing some paper on The Art of War. Not exactly my idea of an exciting weekend. She even used one of your old quotes."

Brian looked perplexed. "Which one? I've said a lot of stuff over the years."

" 'There's a fine line between genius and insanity. But, if you know how to walk that line, no one can stand in your way'," Heath answered.

"Ahh, one of my favorites. Why do I feel old all of the sudden?"

"Come on, Dad, you aren't that old," Heath reassured him.

"In my business, I'm 'getting up there'. Thing is, I also feel like I'm in about the same position I was back then. I've gone back and forth between two brands–about the only person on the roster to do so within a year at one point–and this is the the God knows how many times I've gone to management with a request to be switched back where I am now because of the purpose of me wanting to be a SINGLES competitor. That lasted a few weeks before they're talking tag team again. Jesus."

"What's so bad about that? Nobody's still broken the record of yours and Uncle Paul's."

"I know, son, but I want to do something as me. I may be small, but I want to show the world that a little guy can go to the top ranks. Hell, Rey did it and he's far smaller than I am. Of course, who knows what the bosses have in store for me this time."

"Money in the Bank match!" Heath cried excitedly.

"Let's not go nuts, kid. Now if you said US Championship, that may be a little more realistic."

"Why not, Dad? You're just as good to be in that match as anyone else, maybe better."

"Well, keep this under your hat, boy, but there has been a buzz for me to do Money in the Bank again."

"Oh wow! I knew it!"

"Keep your pants on. Nothing's been confirmed yet, though."

Audrey then came in the room, diet soda in hand. "Hey, guys. What do you have there, little brother?"

"This book on all the good old stuff about Dad."

"Really?" She plopped beside Heath. "Let me see too!"

"Great, now both of my kids are going to embarrass me," Brian groaned.

"Hey, Heath, check this out," Audrey said, showing him a page. "Mom and Daddy's wedding picture."

This piqued Brian's interest. "Which one?" It had been common knowledge that he and Steffi had eloped a few months before their 'official' wedding.

"The one with you in this weird monkey suit and Mom in a pale pink dress….hey her stomach's sticking out a little in that one."

Heath studied the page. "Looks like Mom was a little bit pregnant."

"Sure, with Audi there," Brian replied.

Heath then broke out laughing. "Dad, you bad ass!"

"Daddy, of all people you had to blab to about that," Audrey sighed.

"What? Unless there's another kid I don't know about, Mom was most likely carrying you in that picture."

Heath got up and began to dance around. "Audi was a love child…..Audi was a love child…..Audi was a love child…."

"Daddy!" Audrey cried.

"Daddy took Mama up on the roof, the condom broke, and Audi's the proof!" Heath laughed.

"You didn't exactly come from immaculate conception," Audrey shot back. "Daddy, tell him to stop."

"Heath, quit ragging on your sister. As for the 'love child' thing, your mother and I were already married when she got pregnant," Brian said

"Yeah, they had two weddings, remember, dumb ass?" Audrey blew a raspberry at her brother. "You were most likely the one that was an accident, short stuff."

"Nobody in this house was an accident," Brian clarified. "Mama and I talked about having two kids and stopping after that. We were just blessed to get one of each."

Heath studied another picture. "Who's these naked kids chewing on a sponge in the bathtub?" he wondered.

"Jesus, do not tell me your mother kept that thing," Brian sighed.

Audrey snatched the picture. "Oh my God, Heath, that's Daddy! Look closer at the face."

"Oh yeah, I see it now. It's him and Aunt Shannon."

Brian let out a groan. "I am in hell."

"Come on, Daddy, it's adorable. I can see why Mom kept this," Audrey smiled.

"I was not adorable and if your aunt knew that thing still existed, she'd have a coronary."

"Um…..Dad?" Heath began to ask. "There isn't any chance Mom took a picture like this of me and Audi, is there?"

"Eww, Heath, you perv!" Audrey cried.

"Not to my knowledge, but there is a cute one of you curled up on our bed butt naked when you were a year and a half," Brian replied. "And two kids in a bathtub is not being a 'perv.' It's when they get older that it becomes inappropriate."

"Thank God," Audrey sighed.

"Hey, talking about boys, I gave Bryan your cell phone number," Heath said.

"You did what?" Audrey yelled. "Heath, I am going to kill you!"

"Okay, wait," Brian interjected. "Who in Sam's hell is Bryan?"

"The new kid down the street that Heath pesters all the time," Audrey said.

"And he thinks Audi's cute," Heath added eagerly. "He was at the match last night with Dad and I gave him her number." He began to laugh.

"You sick little freak," she replied. "I should break your knee caps right now."

"First of all, before you even as much as talk to a boy, I'd like to meet him first," Brian said. "Heath, exactly how old is this guy?"

"Seventeen," Heath answered. "And he has this cool car and everything. He told me Audi had pretty eyes and a nice butt."

"Heath Christian, you are close to signing your own death warrant!" Audrey bellowed.

"Not so fast, sweetheart," Brian smiled. "Sounds like my kind of guy. I haven't met him yet, but I think I'm going to like this Bryan kid already."